1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation image information reading apparatus for unloading a storage-type phosphor sheet from one of a plurality of light-intransmissive holders to photoelectrically read radiation image information stored and recorded on the so-unloaded storage-type phosphor sheet, and erasing any remaining radiation image information from the so-read storage-type phosphor sheet, followed by charging the light-intransmissive holder with the erased storage-type phosphor sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has recently been proposed a radiation image information recording and reproducing system of a type wherein radiation image information of an object such as a human body is first stored and recorded on a storage-type phosphor sheet using a stimulable phosphor, and the storage-type phosphor sheet is then scanned with stimulating rays to emit accelerated light therefrom, thereby photoelectrically detecting the emitted light so as to produce an image information signal that is electrically processed for generating a radiation image of the object (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 55-12429, 56-11395, 55-163472, 56-104645, 55-116340, etc.).
In the radiation image information recording and reproducing system, the radiation image information of the object is recorded on the storage-type phosphor sheet in a state in which the storage-type phosphor sheet is accommodated in a cassette. Then, the storage-type phosphor sheet is unloaded from the cassette to photoelectrically read the image information therefrom in an image information reading apparatus. It is, however, difficult to use such a cassette upon dental exposure.
Therefore, there has been proposed a light-shading or -intransmissive holder which has a light-intransmissive characteristic and is rendered transmissive of radioactive rays, for holding therein a storage-type phosphor sheet (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 59-17200).
However, when the light-intransmissive holder is used, an exposed storage-type phosphor sheet is unloaded from the light-intransmissive holder in a dark room so as to be accommodated in a cassette or magazine. Thereafter, a radiation image information reading apparatus must be charged with the storage-type phosphor sheet thus accommodated, so that the entire process is cumbersome.
Therefore, there has been proposed a radiation image information reading apparatus of a type wherein one of light-intransmissive holders is automatically opened to unload a storage-type phosphor sheet therefrom, to which stimulating or exciter light is applied, thereby photoelectrically reading, i.e., detecting accelerated light emitted from the storage-type phosphor sheet so as to produce an image information signal which is electrically processed for generating image information to be recorded, and any remaining image information on the storage-type phosphor sheet is then erased therefrom and thereafter the erased storage-type phosphor sheet is fed into the light-intransmissive holder (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 64-56432).
In the aforementioned radiation image information reading apparatus, the light-intransmissive holders are inserted one by one into the apparatus. Therefore, when it is desired to process or handle a number of light-intransmissive holders in particular, the operator must manually carry out the process for unloading the light-intransmissive holders one by one from the magazine with these light-intransmissive holders stored therein so as to charge the apparatus with the same. Thus, the entire process for reading the image information from the storage-type phosphor sheet cannot efficiently be carried out.